Nissan showcases advanced technology

The underlying philosophy of the company's “Orchard Concept” R&D strategy is to direct its strengthened resources to “real, specific technological innovation in the car that you see on a showroom floor,” providing performance and functions that exceed customer expectations.

Nissan has become a truly global enterprise allied with Renault of France and is now widely lauded for its acute business acumen and product revival. Complacency must be alien to Nissan's management; call it perpetual Japanese modesty or traditional soul searching, for one senior executive reflected, “we still lag in some areas [such] as reputation for innovation and advanced technology.” Public and media perception, maybe, but certainly not in substance and potential, as Nissan's recent 2005 Advanced Technologies Briefing and ride and drive sessions held earlier the year at the company's Research Center at Oppama, near the city of Yokohama, revealed.

Mitsuhiko Yamashita, Senior Vice President responsible for environmental and safety engineering, technology planning, and advanced vehicle engineering, presented Nissan's R&D strategies and research focuses. With recent changes in the Nissan leadership team, Yamashita was promoted to Executive Vice President, responsible for the company's entire research, technology, and engineering activities.